ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The million-dollar half-built home in a South Abilene neighborhood continues to be a hot topic for the city’s monthly Board of Building Standards meetings – which still can’t decide whether or not to demolish the incomplete house.

The home is situated on a plot of land in the 4400 block of La Hacienda Drive, and has been labeled ‘condemned’ since last September.

Half a dozen time, the home has been brought up to the Board of Building Standards. Each time, it was said it was in danger of being demolished, and each time, the board decided to table the issue.

The neighborhood’s Home Owners Association representative, Tom Choat, said that even though there is said to be a buyer for the home, the neighborhood isn’t confident the sale will go through.

“Keep this property condemned. Keep it to where you can bring it up on your agenda. Because, while a contract from an unknown New Mexico company is better than nothing, it has not resolved the problem. It’s still there, it’s still in the same shape, and nothing has changed,” Choat addressed the board members.

Neighbor Mike Murphy was asked by board member David Beard to clear up the upkeep of the home, “It’s an unkempt, untidy- it’s a terrible looking place in our neighborhood.”

Choat conceded, if a sale can go through by the end of August, the HOA would agree to giving them the 9-month building period to be finished.

As a reminder of the timeline, a permit to build was first issued in May of 2020, it was condemned in September of 2022, and attempts began being made to contact the owners about responsibility in March of 2023.

“I feel it’s important that we make sure this sale gets closed. It’s gonna close on or before our next September meeting,” added Beard.

The fate of the La Hacienda Drive house was tabled for another 30 days.